Have we talked about Michael Douglas yet?!

[Repeatedlydoingthetwist]

He said today that his throat cancer was caused by cunnilingus.
jezebel.com/michael-douglas-thanks-cunnilingus-marathons-for-throat-510923443

Thoughts?!

I also think its a little odd that he's waited 2 years to announce this?!

Nope wouldn't lie, just think that if I was going to raise awareness I'd maybe do it at the time I had it?! There was plenty of talk when he was diagnosed of what caused it so why not mention it then?!

What is safe oral sex then?

What's odd about him saying it after 2 years?
It's not like he's released a press statement, it came up during a conversation and he answered with the facts as he understands them.

It's not his job to raise awareness.
He's just talking about his own experience.

No idea Exit.

I think you can buy a special mouth guard/dam thing... But I dotn want to Google as heaven knows what will come up...

Its called a dental dam...

Dental dam - it's essentially just a sheet of latex I think? And condoms for fellatio obviously.

Oh yes. Dental Dam. I had heard of that but in relation to lesbian sex.

Thank you for that, I was also curious but didn't fancy Googling either!

Has poor C Z J come out of the clinic yet? I think she has bigger things to worry about. He was so lucky to recover and, so what if he's talking about it? He has young children and I think he's making a strong case as to why the vaccine is a good thing for both sexes. Fair play, I say,

I think this latest tidbit of information coincides fabulously with the release of his latest film ... you know, the

Yes just a sheet of latex, the instructions make them sound a bit crap to use, it has to be held in place etc... Wouldn't oral feel a bit crap through it?!

Whoops, pressed 'Post' too soon

The new film he's in where he plays Liberace: 'Behid the Candelabra' or something.

Shameless.

Ooooh good point Molotov!!!

No to dental dams! Having experienced them at the dentist - they're vile & taste like balloons.

I don't want to think about old Michael Douglas in this way - ewwwww!

This is why I'm unimpressed by the people (there's always one or two) who crop up on HPV immunisation threads saying "I think the jabs are a bad thing because they discourage safe sex. I am going to educate my DD that she always has safe sex every single time, and if you were a responsible mum like me then it wouldn't be a problem, and they won't need injections"

"Safe sex" in an HPV context is pretty much limited to fully clothed frottage and pecks on the cheek (snogging is probably a transmission route).

Frottage?

I do love the word frottage

I'm with Squeaky. I think he was just being honest - he gave a direct answer to a direct question. It depends whether you think sex is something to be ashamed of.

I don't think sex is something to be ashamed of, I was thinking more the teasing of the children etc. Think if it was your DH.

Ditto sparkling!

What Squeaky said.

Interviewed in Guardian. In G2 today.

The cunnilingus was then pounced on as a separate headline.

www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jun/02/michael-douglas-liberace-cancer-cunnilingus

Very important that he has raised this and why on earth are people criticising him for taking two years?

It's really important that people know that they are at risk from oral and anal sex from HPV infection. The HPV vaccine does not cover all strains and we won't know for many years if it does reduce rates. On the "Friday night" anal sex threads on here you see such a worrying amount of people saying they have unprotected anal and think it is OK because they are in a long term relationship, they have no idea about how HPV can be transmitted years after infection.

Fact is, there has always been lots of smoking and drinking in populations, probably previously more use of alcohol as a mouth wash too. Yet rates of mouth and throat cancer are rising. Change in sexual habit is a possible factor and people have the right to be informed about it.